Assassin's Creed Shadows Review Roundup: Did Ubisoft Finally Manage To Clinch A Winner? Let's Find Out
Assassin's Creed Shadows has been lauded by most reviewers so far, largely thanks to its immaculately crafted world and changing seasons.
Assassin's Creed Shadows Review: After some rounds of delay, the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows is finally upon us. Fans of the long-running Ubisoft action RPG will be able to get their hands on the game tomorrow, March 20. Players will step into the roles of Fujibayashi Naoe, a skilled kunoichi, and Yasuke, an African samurai based on a real-life historical figure. Each character brings a unique approach to gameplay, offering different combat styles and ways to complete missions. This dual-protagonist system is designed to provide greater variety and replayability, allowing players to tackle quests using stealth, strategy, or brute force.
Ahead of the release, Assassin's Creed Shadows have started pouring in from leading publications. Take a look:
The Guardian (By Daniella Lucas)
"While I did find myself getting annoyed running back and forth between quest givers, I still can’t stop thinking about Shadows. Excellent performances and emotionally resonant moments, such as Naoe’s painful recovery after she loses everything she holds dear, mean you’ll feel every bit of sorrow and anger alongside the game’s heroes. Events are often troubling, as power struggles between lords often come at a huge cost to locals, and you see the unwelcome effects of your actions on your allies."
VERDICT: 4/5
IGN (By Jarrett Green)
"Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes a flashing blade to the series’ established norms, trimming them to a more precise form in lieu of chopping them down outright. Combat is aggressive and requires more intentional parrying and skill management than in the past, and exploring the gorgeous provinces of Sengoku-period Japan is encouraged thanks to the revamped map that deemphasizes collecting icons and checking off lists. Naoe and Yasuke are well-realized and memorable protagonists, even though most of the story they drive follows pretty predictable paths. Both have unique playstyles that bolster each other’s weaknesses, but they are ultimately imbalanced by the fact that you can make use of the stealth and exploration skills of the master shinobi far more than the superhuman strength of the samurai. This isn’t the Assassin’s Creed that will change the minds of folks that never connected with the series before, but for those of us with lots of hours logged in the Animus, the sum of Shadows’ parts provide a refreshing realignment of the series that you should not skip."
VERDICT: 8/10
Eurogamer (By Tom Phillips)
"Tonight I'll be back in Shadows' open world, as I have done every night for the past couple of weeks. It's currently winter in my game, and while the seasons didn't impact my gameplay much pre-credits, my post-game returns to certain areas are finally allowing me to see its impact versus the last time I was in town. It's another thing that Shadows' lengthy run-time is finally bringing into focus - and another example of the need to enjoy things while they're around. It'll be time for Sakura blossoms again soon."
VERDICT: 4/5
Engadget (By Kris Holt)
"It does feel like there's enough here to draw in both Assassin's Creed diehards and newcomers who may be entranced by the 16th-century Japan setting but don’t know their Animus from their elbow. Assassin's Creed Shadows has impressive technical work, great performances and an expansive, well-drawn story but it's unfortunately weighed down by some frustrating decisions and antiquated gameplay systems. Still, I'm eager to keep exploring."
VERDICT: n/a
PCGamer (By Morgan Park)
"I don't think Shadows is something to marathon. You could completely ignore the story, come back six months later, and still be up to speed (the heads gotta roll). I know I'll still be picking away at its 30+ castles later in 2025 and 2026, because I get the itch for a great stealth game every few months, and now I have a new one with a whole lot of stuff to do."
VERDICT: 80/100
Gamespot (By Jordan Ramée)
"So much of Shadows' issues come from Yasuke's inclusion. Not because he's a badly written character or because he doesn't feel like he belongs, but because much of what makes an Assassin's Creed game an Assassin's Creed is stripped away to make his samurai fantasy work. Naoe's shinobi fantasy works far better, effortlessly sliding into the gameplay loop of hunting down mysterious targets, puzzling through the best way to reach them, cutting them down, and disappearing without a trace. Naoe and Yasuke's story could have used more unity, especially in giving the duo a shared purpose to drive the plotline and their character development forward. But at the very least, Naoe's gameplay is the best that the series has felt since the transition to a more action-RPG format--Assassin's Creed Shadows is an absolute blast to play."
VERDICT: 8/10
The Verge (By Ash Parrish)
"I enjoyed traversing the way-too-big map, finding all the little activities I could get into while on my way to the bigger story quests. I was thrilled every time the seasons changed and I got to see the land transform. Every bit of scenery is rendered with such detail that I felt transported to an era of Japan that, despite being covered to death in media, nevertheless remains endlessly fascinating. I was enthralled by the game’s deep and detailed codex that covered everything from the history of the era and its notable figures to the minutia of daily life as a Japanese peasant. Sure, popping out and killing ninjas is great, and I’m genuinely interested in how Yasuke and Naoe achieve their goals. But more than anything, I wanna visit the top of Mount Hiei and learn about the warrior monks of its Enryakuji Temple. We all watched Shōgun deservedly carry away all the awards. Playing Shadows felt like experiencing that show all over again."
VERDICT: n/a
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